Voting-machine.



J. H. MQELROY.

VOTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 10, 1901.

1,1 1 0,81 1 Patented Sept. 15, 1914.

B SHEBTS-SHEET 1.

'1HE NORRIS PETERS c0. PHOTU-LITHOU WASHINGTUN, u. c.

J. H. MOELROY- VOTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 10, 1901.

Patented Sept. 15, 1914.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

STRAIGHT TIC/(ET 1 RPUBLICAN m; INDICATOR /06 THE NORRIS PETERS CO.. PHOTO-LITHQ. WASHINGTON. D. cv

J. H. MOELROY.

VOTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR, 10, 1901.

Patented Sept. 15, 1914.

a SHEETS-SHEET a.

7 m @1 IQRNH F ORRIS PETERS CO1. FHOTO-LITHO wA wm=m- J. H. MO'ELROY.

VOTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 10, 1901.

1,110,81 1. Patented Sept. 15, 1914.

B SHEBTS-SHBET 4.

I.|IIII 233 i 254 267 bar 295 7- THE NORRIS PETERS 60.. PHOTO-urna. WASHINGTON. D (i J. H. MGELROY.

VOTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 10, 1901.

1,1 1 0,81 1 Patented Sept. 15, 1914.

8 SHEETSSHEET 5.

72 I 60 7 5689 a 7 I I HE NORRIS PETERS C0 Hom-LITHQ, WJIFNINGTON, n r

J. H. MOELROY.

VOTING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED APR. 10, 1901.

1., 1 10,81 1 Patented Sept. 15, 1914.

8 SHEBTSSHEET 6.

THE NORRIS PETERS co.. PHOTO-LITHO.. WASHINGTON, 0 C.

J. H. MQELROY.

VOTING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 10, 1901 1,1 10,81 1. Patented Sept. 15, 1914.

B SHEETS-SHEET 7.

azvwim W 7HE NokRIs PETERS Co PHOTO-LITHQ, WASHINGTON, D. C

J. H. MGBLROY.

VOTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 10, 1901.

1,1 10,81 1 Patented Sept. 15, 1914.

THE NORRIS PETERS CO.. PHOTO-LITHO 1 WA$HHvv|0N4 u c JOHN-HOWARD MOELROY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

VOTING-MACHINE.

To all tvhom it mag concern j I Be it known that I, JoI-IN HOWARD Mo- ELnoY, a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and "State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Voting-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention is concerned primarily with a novel mechanism for voting straight tickets,; which mechanism is radically new in thatit is applicable to ballots in which the candidates 'are arranged in ;alphabetical order,., Hitherto, straight ticket mechanisms have been-only applicable to ballots where the candidates were, arranged in party columns and office rows; or if they were arranged inoflice groups in a single column, they were applicable only to machines in which the candidates of each of the various parties occupied the same relative position'in each of the office groups.

With my present invention, the relative arrangement of the candidates in the differwillbe in the field at any election. 'As these ent ggroups' becomes immaterial.

Furthermore, to provide for the alphabeti'cal arrangement of candidates on the ballot, I make the straight ticket mechanism so that it canbe adjusted for different elections to accommodate the diiferent relative arrangements of the party candidates 1n each office group necessitated by the different names of. the candidates at different electi'ons. v

Another featurefofmy invention is found in the construction whereby the straight ticket mechanism can be adjusted to accommodate two or any number of parties without the necessity of providing a number of registers and keys in each ofiice group equal to that of the largest number of parties that machines have hitherto. been constructed, where straight ticket mechanism was employed, it was necessary to provide in each oflice group a number of keys and registers equal to the largest number of candidates ever in the field," which in presidential years sometimes amounts to ten or more parties,

which would necessitate providing the ma Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 15, 1914.

Application filed April 10, 1901. Serial No. 55,251.

proved construction, each group can be regu- I lated to the size necessary to just accommodate the number of parties in the field, and the straight ticket mechanism can also be arranged accordingly. f

Another feature of my invention is a straight ticket mechanism in which the register devoted to any particular candidate may, if said candidate is nominated for the same ofiice by two or'more parties, be arranged to be actuated by the straight ticket mechanism of each of the parties nominating said candidate.

Another feature of my invention is embodied in a construction whereby I am enabled to arrange the ballot upon the machine in party columns and oflice rows as required by the laws of some States, and still have it adjustable for different elections so that it shall have only so many party columns at any election as may be required. As these party column machines have hitherto been constructed, it was necessary to provide a number of party columns as great as the largest number of candidates for each single office ever in the field, which in presidential years sometimes amounts to nine or more, thus necessitating a machine having nine or more party columns. In the next election, which is usually a local one, there are ordinarily not more than three or four candi-' dates for each oliice in the field, so that with the ordinaryconstruction only that number of the party columns would be in use While the rest were idle. A machine embodying my invention is so arranged that the registers can be thrown into any desired number of party columns, and I have illustrated a specific construction in which any number from two to nine can be employed, so that at any election no idle party columns need be upon theme-chine.

Another feature of my invention is the novel mechanism by which the position of the setting key controls the actuation of the cooperating register. The mechanism which I employ for this purpose is radically different from any with which I am acquainted, and involves a radically novel mode of operation.

Still another feature of my invention is found in the radically novel mechanism and method by which I control the number-of candidates that canbe voted for by a limited franchise voter.

. Another feature of my invention is a machine. broken away. Fig. 9 is an end ele-' vvation insection on the-line HH of Fig. 5. .Fig, 10 is a detail in sectionon the line J-J novel. combination of resetting and keylocking mechanism with the booth or ourtain opening and closing elementrso arranged that as the booth closed or the curtain is drawn, the keys will be reset before the final operation of the registers is determined- .My invention is also concerned with certain specific structures,devised to carry out the various operations of the machine, all

as will be fullv and at length set out in the anneXed specification, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

3 Referring to the accompanying sheets of drawings, in which the same reference characters are usedto designateidentical parts in all the figures,

Figures 1, 2 and 3 areend elevations in section on the lines AA, BB, and C'C,

respectively, of Fig. 4. Fig. 1 is a plan view .in section on substantially the line DD of .umns and oflice rows, with the central portion of the machine broken away in two places, so as to show three dllferent sections of theballot sheet, in each of which the keys are arranged'for. a different number of party columns. Fig.7 is an end elevation in section on the line E -E of Fig. 6. Fig. 8

is a side elevation in section on substantially the lines FF of Fig. 1 and GGof Fig. 2, and with a portion of the center of the of Fig. .6. Fig; 11 is a'partial end elevation in section on substantially the line KK of Fig. 4. Fig. 12 is a detail in section on the line LL of Fig. 4. Fig. 13 is a partial detail of one of the movable supports for the key stop mechanism. Figs. 14:16 are details of the adjustable fulcrums for the key levers. Figs. 17-19 are details ofthe irregular balloting mechanism. Fig. 20 is an elevation of one of the adjustable straight ticket finger disks seen on the opposite side from that shown in Fig. 11. Fig. 21 is a plan view of the disk shown in Fig. 20. Fig. 22 is a side elevation of one of the separating disksused between the adjacent straight ticket finger disks of different office sections. Figs. 23 and 21 are a side elevation and a plan view, respectively, of one of the connecting disks between the adjacent straight ticket finger disks of the same ofiice sections. Figs. 25 and 26 are front and side elevations, respectively,0f one of the auxiliary straight ticket fingers to be used when more than one party nominates the same candidate for the same office; Figs. 27 and 28 are front and side elevations of the separating washers used between the units and tens, and tens and hundreds registering wheels; Fig. 29 is a perspective view of a cam lug; F'g. 30 is an end elevation of the machine, with the end of the casing removed, looking from the left of Figs. 1, 2 or 3, with the central portion broken out; Figs. 31. 32 and 33 are side elevations of the three different guide plates; Fig. 33 is a section through the straight-ticket shaft showing the ratchet and pawl to compel its rotation always in the same direction; Fig. 34 is a perspective view, shortened, and with some of the casing broken awayand the registering wheels omitted, showing the mechanism.

for locking the wheels from movement when they are open for inspection; Figs. 35 and 36 are a top plan view and side elevation of a portionof the key stop mechanism, with the casings which partially surround thev sprocket wheels removed; Figs. 37 and 38 are details showing the construction of the straight-ticket shaft; and Figs. 39, 40 and 41 are views similar to Fig. 3, but showing the parts in different positions. In the drawings, Figs. 1 to 9 are on one scale, while Figs. 1029 are on a scale twice as large, and in Figs. 4 and 8 some of the candidate registers are omitted to obviate the labor of drawing so many of them.

My invention is intended to be used in either of the two classes of machines mentioned in the brief description of Figs. 5 and 6, and I have illustrated a machine which can be used interchangeably in eitherclass by omitting, when used in the first class, the key board necessary to adapt it for the second class. I will first describe the machine as arranged in the first class, and finally as it is arranged for the second class.

The greater portion of the operating mechanism is placed in a box or casing con sisting of the bottom 25, the sides 26 and 27, the ends 28 and 29, and the top 30, which parts may be secured together in any desired manner. I preferably place a partition 31 across the box near its upper end which serves to divide it into two compartments and also to furnish a support or bearing'for the upper ends of some of the horizontal operating shafts. Of course it will be understood that the ends of the box are on the same level, and that when I say upper end, I mean that end which appears nearest to the tops of the sheets of drawings.

The registers.-The candidate registers are mounted in a rectangular frame 32, consisting of the sides 33 and 34, and its ends 35 and 36, and having the partition 37 across it near its lower end. The frame is open at its bottom, but has its top closed by a lid 38 hingedto its side 34, conveniently by means of a rod 39 passing through the intermeshmg knuckles 40 and 41 secured to or formed integral with the lid and the side 34, re-

spectively, as shown in Fig. 5, so that when the lid is closed its upper surface is flush withthe upper edges of the sides and ends of the frame 32 into which it fits, and also with the upper surface of the top 30, into a suitable aperture in which the frame 32 fits, resting upon. the projections 42 formed or secured on the inner sides of the end 28 and the partition 31 beneath the corners of the frame. The lid 38 is normally kept locked in its closed position by the locks 43 and 44 arranged at its ends and having bolts (not shown) cotiperating with suitably located apertures (not shown) in the side 33. These locks preferably have different keys, one of which is in the possession of an election official of one party while the othenis in the possession of an election oificial of another party, so that it cannot'be opened surreptitiously by either of the officials. The frame 32 is preferably detachably secured in place in the casing, being normally held' inplace by locking mechanism (not shown) accessible through the lid 38. The central portion of the lid 38 is formed of a glass plate 45, on the under side of which is secured the ballot 46 which can be read through it, but is protected thereby. As will be seen the ballot has the names of the candidates arranged thereon in any necessary order, and the space for each candidates name is preferably given a number corresponding to the number of the register devoted to that candidate.

.With' the mechanism I employ in which the keys are arranged as closely as possible to each other in a single row, in order to bring the wheels of each register side by side, it becomes necessary to separate the registers into different lines, and with this object in view, I provide the shafts 47 48 and 49 which extend the length of the frame 32, "and are preferably journaled in suitable bearings formed in the end 35 and partition 37, so that they can be rotated to simultaneously carry all the registering wheels to zero by the resetting mechanism to be de scribed. The frame 32 has extending across it, several pairs of separating plates 50 and 51 throughwhich the shafts 47, 48 and 49 pass, each of which, as is clearly shown in Fig. 4, has two offsets therein, which are necessary to permit of the registers 52 being located substantially in line with their respective keys and no others. As will be seen, the 1st, 4th, 7th, etc, registers are on the shaft'47 the 2nd, 5th, 8th, etc.,'registers are on the shaft 48 slightly beneath the 1st, 4th and 7th registers respectively; and the 3rd, 6th, 9th, etc., registers are on the shaft 49 a corresponding distance beneath the 2nd,

5th and 8th registers respectively, so that when an impression is taken from the registers, which preferably have type figures on their peripheries, the number of votes counted on each register will appear distinct from the others and practically opposite the name of the candidate to which it is devoted, if the names are previously printed on the tally sheet, as is preferable. I

As best shown in Figs. 4, 11 and 12, strung on each shaft between each pair of separating plates 50 and 51 are three register wheels 53,- 54 and 55 devoted to the units, tens and hundreds respectively. Each wheel has a portion of its periphery devoted to the 10 notched teeth 56, the units and tens wheels each having one deep notch for the customary deep-notch carrying mechanism. The rest of the periphery is devoted to the ten type figures 57 which are separated by the notches 58. For the reception of the resetting mechanism, each of the shafts 47, 48 and 49 has the deep, preferably rectangular, groove 59 therein, and between the wheels, 53 and 54, and 54 and 55,1 place the washers 60 having the tongues 61 fitting into the groove 59 and preventing the washer from turning. One of the functions of these washers 60, which fit in correspondingly shaped recesses in the wheels, is to slightly separate the wheels so as to prevent the movement of one from accidentally carrying the adjacent wheel with it, which would destroy the accuracy of the count. Pivotally mounted on the shaft just outside ofthe plate 50 is an arm 62, and just outside of the plate 51 is a similar arm 63, the two being connected by a rod 64 upon which is loosely pivoted an actuating dog 65 having on its upper side the pawls 66, 67 and 68, set at different angles, as is customary in deepnotch carrying registers, and adapted to cotiperate with the teeth 56 on the wheels 53, 54 and 55, respectively, and on its under side a pendant 69, which, as seen in Fig. 11, tends to hold the pawls 6668 in engagement with the teeth 56 by gravity, whose action may be reinforced by the customary spring if found desirable.

To prevent the possibility of any accidental backward inovement of the wheels,

I provide the spring detent pawls 70, which cooperate with the teeth 56, and which are conveniently secured to and supported by the bars 71, which are preferably substantially triangular in cross section and extend substantially the length of the frame 32, being secured to and supported by the series of separating plates 50 and 51. The primary function of these bars 71 however is to carry the type 72 by which the number of each register corresponding to the num ber of the candidate to which is devoted its as to advance it in p is imprinted on the tally sheet adjacent the number of votes shown by said register. To swing the arms 62 and 63 from the p0s1t10n shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in the left hand register in Fig. 11, and thereby 81 formed in the bottom of the sides 33 and 34 respectively of the frame 32. The bar 73 has a lug 82 thereon in a position which depends on which of the shafts 47 48 and 49 the register which it actuates is located. The lug 82 takes into an elongated groove or slot 83 in the arm 84 projecting downward from and preferably integral with the arm 63, so that as the bar 73 is moved from the position of Fig. 2 to that of Fig. 11 the arm 63 and consequently the dog 65 will be swung about its register, so

ace. After the polls are closed, the election ofiL cials unlock the lid 38, and swinging it up,

the registers are exposed, and can be inked by a roller and an impression taken which will show the results of the election. To prevent any possible attempt to surreptitiously advance any of the registers while the lid is'raised, I provide mechanism for locking the registers from any possible movement while the lid is opened, which is conveniently constructed as follows:

Pivoted to the inner side of the end 35 are the arms 85 which have pivoted to their lower ends the bar 86, whose right hand 'end normally rests by gravity against the side 34. The similar arms 87 are pivoted to the inner side of the partition 37 and have pivoted to their lower ends the bar 88, which is connected to the corresponding bar 86 by the three rods 89 which normally hang just out of engagement with the notches 58, so as not to interfere with the authorized movement of the Wheels. Each of the bars 86 and 88 has a stud 90, which preferably takes the form of an antifriction roller, projecting from its outer side near its right hand end, and this engages with a pendant 91 pivoted to a stud 92 projecting downward from the lid 38 so that when the lid is raised from closed to open position the pendant 91 will be raised a certain distance. As seen in Fig. 3, when the lid is closed, the narrow neck of the pendant engages the roller 90, but as soon as the lid is raised a little the wider body 93 of the pendant which rests against the side 34 will cam the lug and consequently the bars 86 and 88 to the left thus swinging the rods 89 into some one of the notches 58 of each of the registers so as to securely lock all of them from any possible movement while the lid is open and they are accessible. As soon as the lid is closed, the pendants 91 are forced back to their normal position and the bars 86 and 88 and the rods 89 can swing back out of engagement with the notches 58 leaving the registers unlocked.

By completely removing the frame 32 from the machine it will be seen that the registers could be reset one by one, but I preferably employ mechanism by which all of them can be reset simultaneously by the authorized officials. For this I may employ the mechanism best illustrated in Figs. 11 and 12, where it will be seen that I form a notch 94 with an abrupt shoulder on the inner periphery of each wheel and in the shafts 47, 48 and 49, I mount in rectangular sockets a spring pressed plunger 95 for each wheel which has on its outer end a tooth corresponding in shape to the notch 94. As the wheels are advanced from zero position the plungers 95 are forced backward into their notches. As the shafts are advanced in the same direction as the movement of the wheels, when the plunger-s reach the notches 94 the wheels are then carried forward and all stop at zero when the rotation of the shafts is completed. .As shown in Fig. 12,

the inner socket and one side of the outer sockets of the group of three sockets for each register is formed by the tongues of the washers 60, and the other sides are formed by the blocks 96 fitting in the groove 59 and secured in place by the screws 97 While I might rotate each of the shafts 47, 48 and 49 separately, I preferably connect them so that all will rotate together, as by securing the crank arms 98 to the ends thereof and connecting them by the bar 99, as shown in Fig. 3. Power can be applied to these shafts to rotate them in any suitable way as by a key passed through the aperture 100, into the slot 101, in the shaft 48, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4.

T he straight ticket mcclzam'sm.-As in the system of balloting carried out in my invention the bulk of the balloting is carried on by the straight ticket mechanism, I will describe that first; subsequently describing the individual candidate keys which are only employed when scratching is to be done, and are otherwise unactuated and unmoved.

The basis of my straight ticket mechanism is an adjustable member, preferably a rotatable cylinder, which, by movement to different positions, brings different sets of register operating or controlling members, as pins, into operative position so that different sets of registers, each set including those for all the candidates of that particular party, will be operated. If a cylinder is employed and arranged for nine different parties, it will have nine different angular positions, and in each position a different set of pins will be at the operative line, each individual pin on the cylinder having its own particular position in the line, so that the register, for the candidate to whom the pin is devoted can only be actuated by the straight ticket mechanism when the cylinder is in the angular position which brings its pin into the operative line. If the angular positions of the cylinder are equidistant, and each party presents a candidate for each office, and the candidates are arranged regularly according to party in o-iiice groups, the position of the pins on the cylinder will be represented by a regular helical spiral, each spiral representing the candidates of the different parties for some one office.

Referring now to the drawings, especially Figs. 1%, and 8, I provide a shaft 102, extending the length of the casing, journaled in suitable bearings in the ends 28 and 29 and the partition 31, and preferably project ing through the end 28 and provided with a hand wheel or knob 103, by which it can be turned in one direction to any of the nine different angular positions for which I have shown it as arranged. To prevent any possible breakage by turning the shaft 102 in the wrong direction, I secure to it just outside of the partition 31 a notched wheel 104 (see Fig. 8) with which a spring pressed pawl 105 pivoted to the partition cooperates in the customary manner to prevent its backward movement.

To indicate to the voter the exact positionof theshaft, so that he will known how his vote is to be cast, I provide a straight ticket indicator 106 which consists of a cylinder journaled in suitable bearings in the end 29 and partition 31,-and having its surface divided into nine equal spaces which are marked with the party names and which may have different colors to aid the illiterate voter, one space ata time being visible through a glass covered opening 107 formed in the top 30 just above the indicator. A gear-pinion 108 secured to. the shaft 102 next to the end 29 meshes with another gear pinion "109 mounted on a stud projecting from said end 29, which pinion in turn meshes with the gear pinion 110 of the same size as the pinion 108, secured on the indicator 106,- so thatas the shaft 102 is turned to any position, that position will be shown in the opening 107 by the indicator 106.. I mayplace the indicator 106 in a position'parallel to the shaft'102, as shown in Figs. 1, 4t, 6 and 8, or I may arrange it at right angles thereto, as shown in Fig. 5, by the interposition of a pair of bevel gears.

The shaft 102 has rigidly secured thereon, preferablyv just inside of the end 28 and the partition 31, one or more positioning and,

locking disks, 111, which have as many equldistant notches preferably rounded, in their to the channel 112.

periphery as there are angularpositions provided for; in this case nine. The mecha nism cooperating with these disks willbe described subsequently. The part of the shaft 102 extending between these disks 111 is preferably. larger than the ends, and has a preferably rectangular longitudinal chan-' nel 112 formed therein, the shaft being arranged in any convenient manner so that the lower reduced end can be detached from the larger intermediate portion so as to give access to the channel to permit the placing of washers on the shaft which have portions projecting into the channel. A preferred construction for this purpose is indicated in Figs. 37 and 38. the shaft will be placed a washer 113 which has the rectangular tongue 11 1 fitting into and resting against the shoulder at the upper end of the channel 112 so as to be positio-ned thereby. Next to this washer 113 is placed a disk 115, which has a straight ticket linger llorigidly secured thereto and preferabl formed inte 'rall therewith and is .i a 7 placed in such an angular pos1t1on on the shaft that when the shaft is turned to such a position that the party to which the finger belongs is indicated at the sight aperture 107, the finger will be in a horizontal posi tion and pointing away from the registers, as indicated in Fig. This relative position on the shaft is maintained by aconnecting disk 117 which has a lug 118 on the upper side thereof which fits into one of the nine equi-distant notches 119 formed on the inner periphery of the disk, depending upon the desired position of the finger 116 relative The connecting disk 117 has a finger120 projecting into the channel 112 and provided with a projection 121 thereon upon which is placed a shorthelically coiled expanding spring 122 which, co -acting against the finger 120 and one of the sides of the channel 112, serves to hold the connecting disk 117 and consequently the straight ticket fingerv disk 115 yieldingly in the position in which they are placed.

Ifit should happen that the candidate to On the upper end of also be actuated when the Shaft 102 is in,

another angular position representing the second party, an auxiliary finger 123 is placed as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 20 in one of the eight equi-distant radial channels 124, extending into the upper side of the disk 115, and is held therein by the lug 125 on its end extending intothe corre-' spending notch 119. By this construction,

and by the use of the auxiliary fingers 123, it will be seen that one reglster w1ll do for a candidate that may have been nominated for the same oflic'e by any nuinber offparties, -I

and that whenever a straight ticket is cast for any one of those parties, a vote will be cast for that particular candidate. The disk 115 of the next candidate for the same office is now placed adjacent the connecting disk 117 and in the proper angular position so that its finger 116 will project horizontally to the left when the party name to which it belongs shows through the aperture 107, in which position the lug 126 on the bottom side of the connecting disk 117 will take into one of its notches 1.19. Another disk 117 is then added, and then another disk 115 in a different angular position, and so on, until enough disks 115 have been properly arranged to represent all the candidates for any particular office, or offices when a plurality of officials are to be elected, when after the last disk 115 is added, a washer 113 is used in place of the disk 117, and the section for another office is arranged in the same way, and so on until all the candidates are grouped according to the offices for which they were nominated. It will be seen that the connected disks 115 and 117 in each office group are in effect a sleeve provided with the spirally arran d fingers 116, the sleeve being built up of disks in the manner shown as one method of facilitating the rearrangement of the machine for different elections. The lugs 118 and 126 on the connecting disks 117 fit snugly into the n'oltches 119 of the disks 115, so that if pressure is applied to any disk in an office group to rotate it against the resistance of the springs 122, all. of the other disks 115 in that office group are compelled to move with it. If it is desired to insure against any possible looseness of the lugs 118 and 126 in the notches 119, I may provide one or more bars 127 which are just the length of an office group between the washers 113, and are of a cross section to fit snugly in the notches 119, and the correspondingly shaped and located notches 128 in the connecting disks 117, through which notches the bars 127 extend. The interposition of the washers 113 between office groups prevents any possibility of any movement given to the disks 115 of one office group being accidentally imparted to another group.

The candidate keys or scratching mechani8m.At the same time that the disks 115 and 117 are strung on the shaft 102, I place thereon the blades 129 of the candidate keys of which there is one for each individual candidate nominated as well as an extra one in each office group for non-nominated or irregular candidates. These key blades 129 are preferably stamped up of sheet metal and have an aperture 130 therein just wide enough to embrace the washers 113 and connecting disks 117, each of which is within a key blade, and just long enough to permit the complete movement of the key into its operated and unoperated positions. Each key is provided with a scratched ticket finger 131, which in the unoperated position of the key, shown in full lines in Fig. 11, is above and out of possible contact with the operating mechanism. When a key blade is pushed down by pressure on the key button 132, secured on the top of the stem 133, which passes through a suitable aperture in the lid 30, and is secured in any convenient way to the key blade, the finger 131 is carried down to a position right in line with the straight. ticket finger 116 which is at the operating point or line, so that the corresponding candidate register will. be operated by reason of the finger 131 being in operative position. lVhen a certain straight ticket is indicated by turning the shaft 102 to the necessary angular position, and any scratching is to be done, the key for the candidate in whose favor the party candidate is scratched, is pressed down, and it becomes necessary to construct the mechanism so that the operation of any candidate key in a party group will prevent the possible actuation of any register in the roup by the straight ticket mechanism. 1 or this purpose each key blade 129 is provided with :1 lug 134, preferably stamped inward from the body of the blade and in proper position to contact, toward the end of its downward movement, with one of the nine equi-distant ribs 135 extending across the periphery of' the adjacent finger disk 115, so as to swing the disk and with it all the disks 115 and 117 of that office group into the position shown in Fig. 11, in which position any fingers 116 in the group that might have been in operative position are moved just out of operative position, so that only the register in the group corresponding to the scratching key that is depressed can be operated.

A locking member in the form of a rod 136 extending the length of the machine and operated by mechanism to be described cooperates with the correspondingly shaped notches 137 in all the operated keys and with the notches 138 of all the un-operated keys to force all the keys to their respective positions, despite any resistance that might be offered by the springs 122. As the lugs 134 only contact with the ribs 135 during the latter half of their downward movement, it is immaterial if the springs 122 should throw the key back, as might be the case in a large office group, if the combined resistances of these springs 122 exceeded that of the opposed springs (to be described) which yieldingly hold the rod 136 in its locking position. The springs 122 cannot return the key far enough so that its notch 137 is released from the rod 136, and at the time the registration takes place, the rod 136 is positively forced into its locking position by mechanism to be described so that there can be no failure of the keys to be in their proper operated position, and as the shaft 102 is also positively locked by mechanism cooperating with the disks 111, the springs 122 must yield and the straight ticket fingers of the group must be moved out'of operative position during the actuation of the registers if a scratching key has been operated in that group.

The actuating me0ham'sm.Each of the actuating bars 73 has pivoted thereto at its left-hand end an actuating lever 139, which is normally in the positionshow'n in Fig. 2, and hangs with the bearing surface or flange 140 formed on the end ofthe short arm 141,

adjacent to and almost in contact with the outer end of its scratchingti'cket finger 131 if its scratching key is operated, or with the corresponding end of its straightticket finger 116 if the shaft 102 mm proper position to bring its finger 116 to the operative line. If now power be applied by any suitable means to-the left-hand side of the lower end of the lever 139 to swing it to-the right,

. if either finger 116 or 131 bein position, the

surface 140 will immediately contact with the end of said finger which thusbecomes a fulcrum for the lever so that the further movement of the lower end of the lever un der stress of the power causes its upper end to move in the opposite direction, the parts moving from the-dotted line position of Fig.

11 to the full line position, thereby drawing thebar "7 3 to the left so as to advance the connected register one space. If neither finger 116 nor 131 be in place, the pivotal point of the lever still remains the fulcrum and 1t swings idlyto the right as a lever of the 2nd class without any load other than its weight, instead of becoming a lever of the first class as it does when it operates a register. To

swing all of these levers, as well as to reset. the operative keys, I employ the following" mechanism:-Jouinaled in suitable bearings in the end 29 and partition 31 near the lower left-hand corner of the casing is a rock shaft the public by any desired form of a screen or door. As shown inFlg. 9, this shaft 142 has secured to it a segmental plate 144 embracing about 150 degrees and provided with an inwardly projecting flange 145 extending around the edge thereof and fitting close up to the outer side of'the end 29. Projecting inwardly from this'plate 144 is a segmental rack 146whose teeth are in position to mesh with and rotate a gear pinion 147 secured on casing.

the outer end of a short shaft 148 journaled in suitable bearings in the end 29 and partition 31, as the plate 144 is moved from the open and locked position of the machine shown in dotted lines to the closed and unlocked position shown in full lines. To pre vent any endeavor to beat the machine by moving the shaft 142 only partially, I preferably provide a complete stroke mechanism consisting of a series of teeth 149 on the under-side of the rack 146 which cooperate with the dog 150 pivotally mounted on a pintle 151 projecting from the end 29 of the A coiled retractile spring 152 secured to the tail of said dog and to another pin 153 projecting fromthe end 29 serves to hold the dog 150 normally in the position shown, from which it is vibrated and operates in the customary manner to compel movement of the rod 142 in either direction when once it is started from eitherextreme position. i

The shaft 148 has fastened to its inner end just inside of the partition 31 a gear wheel 154 which meshes with two gear wheels 155 and 156 of the same size located directly above and below it and secured to shafts 157 and 158 respectively which extend length-wise of the casing parallel to" each other, and are journaled in suitable bearings in the end 28 and the partition 31. The shaft 158 has secured 'on its end just inside of the end 28 of the casing a gear wheel 159 which meshes with another gea wheel 160 of exactly the same size which is similarly secured upon a'third shaft 161, which extends the length of the casing parallel to the shafts 157 and 158 and like them is journaled in suitable bearings in the end 7 28 and partition. 31. With theseconnections it will be apparent that as the rod 143 is raised, the shafts 157, 158 and 161 will be rotated at the same angular speed in the directions indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2. The shaft 158 has formed on it a number of cam like or eccentric projections 162, of which there is one opposite the enlarged lower end 163 of each lever 139. The shaft 161 has a corresponding set of projections which are conveniently consolidated so as to form an eccentric portion 164 of the'shaft shown in cross section which cooperates with the other side of the ends 163 of the levers The shaft 157 has a similar eccentric 'or cam portion 165 which cooperates with the adjacent ends of the levers 139 and bars 73. The exact action of these eccentrics in cooperating with the levers 139 to actuate register actuator for all the Z 710 positioning and locking mechanism.- Pivotally mounted on pintles projecting inwardly from the end 28 and the partition 31 are a pair of bifurcated arms 166, the upper forks 167 of which have secured between their ends the previously mentioned rod or bar 136, while the lower forks 168 have on their ends the downwardly projecting lugs 169 which are properly shaped to fit snugly into some one of the nine equidistant notches in the locking disks 111 on the shaft 102.

Coiled retractile springs 170 secured to the arms 168 and to pins 171 projecting in wardly from the end 28 and partition 31 may be used to aid gravity in holding the lugs169 and the bar 136 yieldingly in their respective notches. The forks 167 have the off sets 1 72 thereon which carry the project ions 173, which preferably take the form of antifriction rollers, and fit into the cam grooves 174 formed on the outer faces of the cam disks 175 secured to the shaft 157 near its ends. 3

13y reference to Fig. 3, which shows the parts in the relative positions they occupy when the rod 143 is down, and the machine is ready to be operated, it will be seen that the rollers 173 are in the wide portion of thegrooves 174 so that if the handle 103 is turned, the lugs 169 can beforced out of the notches in the disks 111 against the resistance of the springs 170, which however, tend to exactly position the shaft 102 in the. angular .position representing. the party chosen. If any scratching is to be done, the

proper keys will be pressed in, and the yielding action of the bar 136 upon the notches 137 and 138 will tend to accurately position the keys either in their operated or unoperated position, so that if the voter fails to push a key in far enough, it will be returned before his eyes showing him his failure, while if he pushes it past the center itwill he carried down the rest of the way, but can be freely retracted if he should by accident operate the wrong key. The straight ticket mechanism, if used, mustbe set first, but noharm is done if the voter should attempt to do his scratching first, as

"when he did turn the shaft 102, the ribs 135 contacting with the lugs 134 on the operated keys would simplycam the keys upward toward their inoperative position, which would attract the attention of the voter and he could then re-scratch his ballot. If desired, I might arrange it so that the movement of the straight ticket mechanism would not reset the scratching keys as all that would be necessary would be to shorten the radial length of the ribs 135 so that they would not be long enough to cam the op erative keys back past the center as the shaft 102 was rotated, and when the rotation ceased, the bar 136 would carrythem back to their operated position again.

As the rod 143 is raised by the voter in leaving the booth after the machine is set, the shafts 157, 158 and 161 are rotated in the directions shown by the arrows in Fig. 2. During the first 60 degrees of movement the rotation of the shaft 161 carries the eccentric portion 164 away from the bottoms 163 of the levers 139, so that they are free to be swung to the right when the eccentric lugs 1.62 of the shaft 158 get far enough around to do this, which however is not until after the first 60 degrees of rotation. During this time the rotation of the shaft 157 has carried the eccentric portion 165 away from the upper ends of the levers 139 so that they are free to have those ends swing to the left if their hearing faces 140 come in contact with either of the fingers 116 or 1.31 as their lower ends are swung to the right by the eccentrics 162. Durin this movement the cam disks 175 are carrie forward so that the rollers 173 are in that portion of the rooves 174 that has the greatest radial dlstance and is just enough wider than the diameter of the roller to permit it to move freely, so that the rod 136 is locked in the recesses 137 or 138, as the case maybe, of the keys so that they are abso lutely locked exactly in their operated or un-operated position during the next 120 degrees of rotation, during which time the lovers, 139 are swung forward, operating such registers as the arrangement of the straight ticket and scratching mechanisms provides for. At the same time that the ke s are locked the lugs 169 co6perating wit-lithe notches in the disks 111 exactly position the shaft 102 and absolutely lock it from movement while the registers are being actuated. During the next 60 degrees of movement, that is from 180 degrees to 240 degrees from its starting point, the rotation of the cam disks 175 causes the rollers 173 to becarried from the portion of the grooves 174 having the greatest radial distances to that having the least radial distance, in which portion the arms 167 and 168 are rocked backward, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, until the rod 136 is out of engagement with the notches 137 and 138, and the lugs 169 are out of engagement with the disks 111, in which position they are locked during substantially all of the remaining 120 degrees of movement necessary to make a complete rotation of the shafts, so that during the last 120 degrees, the keys can be reset and the straight ticket mechanism returned to the normal position to destroy any indication to the next voter of how his predecessor voted, without any unnecessary friction or resistance of the parts.

During the last 1, of this complete rotation,'the eccentrics 165 will cam the upper ends of the levers 139 and the bars 7-3 back to normal position ready for another operation. At the same time the eccentric 164. 00- operating with the bottom edges 176 of the operated key blades 129 will cam them up to unoperated position, and during the latter portion'of its movement will contact with the ends 163 of the lovers 189 and carry them back to normal position if they are not so accurately balanced that they will swing back to that position by gravity. During the latter third of the rotation, the shaft 102 is rotated back to a normal or neutral position by the following mechanism:

Secured upon the shaft 1 18 just inside of the end 29 is a disk 17'? having on a portion.

of its peripher just enough teeth 178 to give a complete rotation to the gear pinion 108, with the inner half of which it is adapted to mesh. Of course it will be understood that instead of using a complete disk, 1 might use a toothed segment. These teeth 178 are so located upon the disk 17'? as to engage the pinion 108 only diningthe last third of the rotation of the shaft A18, and as will be seen in Fig. 1, engage only the inner half of the gear pinion 108 if it may be supposed to be divided vertically. This inner half of the pinion is mutilated by having two of its teeth remored, as seen at 1'50 in Fig. 1, and when the indicator and shaft 102 are at their neutral or chosen normal position, the mutilated portion of the pinion is in line with the teeth 178, so that the rotation of the disk 17? does not affect it. if the shaft has been moved out of normal position, the teeth 178 engagi with the pinion 108 will move it until the reach the mutilated portion when the meshing ceasing, the indicator and shaft will stop in that position, thus effectually destroying the straight ticket indication to the voter.

\Vhile the rod 142 is up and the booth is open, I prefer to have the keys locked from manipulation, and for this purpose 1 simply utilize the locking mechanism, already provided by arranging it so that when th arm is up, the cam disk 175 shall be in such a position that the rollers 173 shall be in that part of the cam groove 174 having the greatest radial distance, in which-position, as will be remembered, the rod 136 looks the keys fro-m movement. To bring the parts to this position when the rod 142 is up I simply make the number of teeth in the rack 1&6 sufficient to give the pinion L17 and the shaft 14:8 a rotation of somewhere be tween degrees and 560 degrees as the rod 142is raised and lowered, the extra rotation of the parts beyond 300 degrees doing no harm as all the parts are reset when the 360 degrees of rotation is completed. To limit the Increment of the rod 142 to the 90 degrees, of movement and determine its position at the extremes thereof, I conveniently provide the stop lugs 180 and 181 at the necessary points on the curved portion of the flange 1 15, and form or secure the 00- operating lug 182 on the outer side of the end 29 of the casing. WVhen the rod 112 is lowered by the voter after he enters the booth, the parts are rotated back to the posi tion shown in Figs. 2 and In Fig. 89, I have illustrated the position the parts assume when the rod 143 is raised to a vertical position so that the booth is open, and the arrows added to the figure show the clirections the various shafts will rotate when the booth-closing movement of the arm 1413 is started. In this position, it will be seen that the keys are locked from movement. in Fig. -10, I have illustrated the position the parts assume after the arm 143 has moved down far enough to turn the shafts 148, 157, 158 and 161 through sixty degrees, and in this position, it will be noted that the shafts are in just the same position as they are when the booth is closed, and that any key can be operated by pushing it down, as they are then unlocked. Supposing that the voter should attempt to manipulate the keys by pressing them down when they are in this position, it will be seen that the further movement of the rod 143, say, to the position shown in Fig. 41, will immediately serve to reset the keys that have been pushed down, and this resetting occurs without there being any possibility of the levers 89 being moved to actuate the registers, so that the keys are re-set near the beginning of the booth-closing movement, if they should have been operated at any time prior to the intended operation of the keys when the booth is entirely closed.

The key stop -mecham'sm.1n order to prevent the actuation of the registers for mo "e candidates for the offices than are to be elected, I provide the novel key stop mechanism shown in Figs. 2 to at, 8, 11 and The base of the machine is covered by a set of guides, which, however constructed, may be conveniently considered as made up of three of guide plates 182, 183, and 18- 1:, arnnged across the machine in regular order, and of the shapes to be described. All of them have semi-circles, or at least parts of semi-circles cut out in the left hand end to accommodate the rotation of the eccentric lugs 162 and eccentric bar 164, as clearly seen in Figs. 2 and 11. The plates 182, which are directly underneath the levers 189, extend across the machine, and have the spurs 185 formed on the other plates between the semi-circular notches cut away, as indicated by the dotted lines at 186 in Figs. 2 and 11, so as to permit the end 163 of the lever139 to swing between said spurs on the ends of the fingers 116 and 181. Just beyond the key blade 129, the plate 182 has projecting upward therefrom, and preferably formed integrally therewith, a shield 187 which has formed on the left hand edge and top thereof the substantially semi-circular flange 188, with an aperture 189, preferably screw threaded, therein. The plate 183 is directly beneath the bar 73 and is shaped just like the plate 182, except that the spur 185 is not cut off, and it does not have the shield 187. Both of the plates 182 and 183 have a somewhat elongated cut away portion, as indicated at 190. The plate 181 is like the plate 188 except that it is cut off at 191, so that at the center and the right hand side of the machine, there shall be space to receive the lower end of the key blade 129 and the sliding support 192. The key blade 129 has a short off set vertical edge 198 at its bottom which when the key is un-operated, has resting against it the preferably rounded end 194: of the support 192, which may be yieldingly held there by the helically coiled expanding spring 195 surrounding a. pin 196, extending horizontally from the other or right hand end of the support and passing through an aperture 197 formed in a bar 198 extending across the machine and seated in the rectangular recesses 199 formed in the plates 182 and 183 in the cut-away portions 190. The spring 195 is confined between the end of the support 192 and the bar 198, and is intended to be just strong enough to overcome the inertia of the parts and return the support 192 to normal position as the key is raised.

When it is depressed, the inclined surface 200 coiiperating with the rounded end 19 1- cams the support 192 to the right until the inclined surface is past, after which the tendency of the pressure of the end 19 against the vertical side of the key is to hold the key in its operated position. The su t port 192 has upon its right hand end a shield 201 similar to the shield 187, except that it is reversed in position, and is slightly inclined as shown in Fig. 8. It has a guard flange 202, and centrally located therein is the bearing stud 203, shown in section in Figs. 11 and 13, on which is mounted the sprocket wheel 204, which is of a size such that its teeth are close to the inner edge of the flange 202, so as to hold the cooperating tape or chain from accidental dis-engagement therewith. The shields 187 might each have a central bearing stud like 203, but I prefer to form each with a circular aperture (not shown) through which passes a rod 205 extending the length of the machine and forming the bearing for the sprocket Wheels 200 which are just like the wheels 204. As will be seen from Figs. 1 and 8, the incline given. to the shield 201 serves to bring the top of wheel in line with the top of one wheel 206, and its bottom in line with the bottom of the next wheel 206, and so on, so that the sprocket tape or chain 207 passes from one wheel 52-06 to and around the opposite wheel 20 -1, thence back to the next wheel 206, and so on without any lateral bending of the t1 pc or chain, but only with a slight twist.

To arrange this key stop mechanism for different groups, the adjustment is as follows: When the key stop mechanism is assembled, the tape 207, which is of thin flexible eel and has perforations therein co- O1T1Cifli lT g with the teeth of the sprocket wheels 201 and 6, is strung loosely upon the wheels, so that when. the chain is tautened up, it will be considerably longer than is necessary to extend around all the wheels. the aperture 189 of the upper-most shield is secured a key 208 which has an aperre in its end which is adapted to take ver one of the teeth of the sprocket wheel 04 so that the key can be screwed down pen the tape 207, thereby locking the heel from rotation and clamping the tape ct one end. As many of the scratching keys are now push d fully in as there are oihces to be filled in the group, which ordinarily requires one key to be operated. The tape is now drawn taut over the various wheels 20-1 and 206 throughout that group, and another key 208 is screwed into the aperture 189 of the last shield 187 in the group. lVith this adjustment, it will be apparent that only so many scratching keys as are provided in each group can be operated at one time, as the movement of that number of supports to the right and the consequent translation of the wheels 204 takes up all the slack in the tape, and no more can be operated without returning some of those previously operated. All the wheels in the group, except the two end wheels 206 are free to rotate, so that the tape adjusts itself automatically and with little friction. \Vhen the keys are released, the springs 195 return the supports 192 to their normal position, although this is not necessary, as the springs might be dispensed with and the supports 192 be allowed to remain in their advanced position until the next operation of the machine when they would be retracted by the operation of the keys. After the first group is completed, the succeeding groups are formed in the same way, each group embracing as many candidates as are nominated for the same ofiice, and being arranged to permit of the operation of only as many keys as there are ofiicials to be elected to that ofiice. It will be seen that this system adapts itself readily to multi-candidate groups of any size, as the tape cannot be stretched and does not wear so that over operation becomes possible. Of course it will be understood that in the multi-oflicial groups if. any scratching is done, the keys for each of the candidates voted for in the group must be operated, as the operation of regular candidates, I employ th following mechanism, which is best shown in Figs. 1 to 5, 8, 10, and 17 to 19. Extending the length of the key-board in the top 80 is a slot 209, and the channel formed thereby is continued by securingon the under side of the top between the side 27 of the casing and the side 84c of the frame 82 the angle bars 210 and 211, their vertical flanges being separated, as shown, only a slight distance. This channel is filled up, except directly opposite the irregular candidate keys by a series of plugs or strips 212, each. of which of a breadth equal to the distance between Ilhe keys, and of a thickness sufficient to fill the channel, and is preferably secured in place by a set screw 21 8 passing through suitable apertures therein and in the vertical flanges of the angle bars 210 and 211. A supply of irregular ballots 214-, preferably made of card-board and shown in Fig. 10, are provided, each of which is of a breadth and thickness slightly less than those of the passage way formed between the strips 212, and angle bars 210 and 211, and long enough to write a name and residence thereon. Having written the name and residence of the candidate upon the strip, the irregular key for that party group is operated and the ballot is inserted. either before or after the operation of the key. The ballot can only pass down until it strikes on the top of the bar 78, whose right hand end extends just a little beyond the vertical flange the angle bar 211.. When the machine is operated as the voter leaves the booth, the movement of the bar 78to the left leaves the ballot unsupported and 1 might allow it to fall by gravity into the corresponding compartment in a trough like receptacle, 215, preferably provided with ad ustable transverse partitions216, which can be placed in any one of the vertical grooves 217 formed on the inner faces of the sides 218 and 219 of the receptacle. This receptacle is of a shape to be supported by the ends of the bars 182 and 188 and occupies the position shown in Figs. 2 and 8, whence it can be withdrawn after the balloting is over through a suitable door (not shown) in the end 28, and the irregular ballots counted.

Instead of depending upon gravity to carry the irregular ballot through the channel, I prefer to employ positive mechanism, which 1 construct as follows: Journaled in suitable hearings in the end 28 and partition 81, in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 8, is a small roller shaft 220, which is preferably faced with rubber and is given one or more rotations toward the end of the operation of the machine, by a mutilated gear wheel or segment 221 whose peripheral teeth 2 2 mesh with the teeth of a gear pinion 228 secured to said roller shaft just inside the upper compartment. 'lo rotate this gear wheel 221, which is journaled upon a pintle 221 projecting from the face of the partition 81, l secure to it, or form integral therewith, a bevel gear pinion 225 which meshes with a similar sized bevel gear pinion 226 suitably secured upon a horizontal shaft 227 journaled to rotate in suitable bearings formed in the sides 26 and 27, and which has secured upon it another similar bevel gear pinion 228 meshing with a bevel gear pinion 229 secured upon the upper end of the shaft 15-7. To cooperate with the roller 220 to car y the ballot through the passage way, I provide the following mechanism: Parallel to the shaft- 220 is a bearing rod'280 extending between and supported by the ends 28 and partition 81; On this rod for each irregular candidate key, or for all keys if desired, 1 pivot a short supporting lever 281. This has journalcd in an aperture 282 in its upper end a roller 288 formed of two disks journaled and united in the manner clearly shown in Figs. 17 and 18, where Fig. 17 is a side elevation of one roller having the bearing stud 284- preferably formed integral therewith and terminating in the screw threaded end 285 upon which the other disk is screwed, abutting against the shoulder 286 so that the roller cannot bind upon the supporting lever. The lower end of the lever 281 is in the form of a rounded lug 287, which fits in a pocket 288 formed on the side of the bar 78, preferably by originally forming an extension on the under side of the bar 78 and bending it up. A horizontal web 289, shown in dotted lines in 10, connects the side 240, of the pocket with the bar 78, and is in such a position that when the bar 78 is moved to the left before the roller shaft 220 be ins to rotate, the preferably curved end 24-1 of the web 289 contacts with the lug 287 and swings the lever 281 from the position shown in Figs. 2 and 8 to that shown in Fig. 10, where it is held firmlv against the ballot 214, which in turn is held firmly against the roller 220, so that when it rotates the roller 288 is also rotated and be tween them the ballot is positively carried down through the passage way and dropped into the proper compartment of the receptacle 215. The lug 237 rides upon the wee 239 so that it is firmly locked there until the bar 73 is returned, when the inwardly turned lug 242' from the top of the side 24:0 contacts with the lug 23? after it is released from the web 239 and swings the lever 231 and the roller 233 back to in-operative position where they remain until that irreginar key is operated again.

The limited franchise mcoham'sm.1n some States there are two or more classes of voters having different franchises to be exercised at the same election. For instance, in the State of Illinois, the women are allowed to vote for the trustees of the State Uni'mrsity, which are voted for at the presitial and congressional election. To ar- .nge the machine so that both the male or female voter can. operate it,without either exercising more than his lawful franchise, I provide a novel structure in which the mechanism can be shifted into different relative positions by the judges or other election oflicials, so that when one kind of a voter uses the machine, only the registers of the offices for which he is entitled to vote will be operated, no matter how many keys he may set for fl ices out-side of his franchise. To effect this result with the mechanism already described, I preferably arrange the operating shaft 158 so that it can be shifted longitudinally so 'as to carry the lugs 162 either into or out of register with the ends 163 of the actuating levers 139. When it is to be used for voters having a full franchise, it is left in position so that a lug 162 is op posite each end 163, so that all of the levers 139 will be swung to register he voters choice of all the candidates for the different oflices. lVhen it is used for a limited franchise voter, the shaft is shifted longitudinally so that the lugs 162 are out of register with the ends 163. To operate the registers of such candidates as the limited franchise roter is entitled to vote for, I secure auxil iary lugs 242 between the lugs 162, as shown at the lower end of Fig. 4:, so that in the limited franchise position of the shaft 158, one of these lugs 242 will be opposite the ends 163 of the operating levers 189 of all the candidates for which the limited franchise voter is entitled to vote. These auxiliary lugs 242, one of which is shown in Fig. 29, are just like the lugs 162. and their inner concave ends are the lugs 162 and have centrally disposed designed to fit upon the shaft 158 between apertures therein into which are screwed the end' of screws 243 (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 11), the bodies of which extend through the holes 2L4: formed through the shaft 158 between each adjacent lug 162, so that the lugs 242 can be placed in any position that may be necessary in the groups of the candidates. It will be apparent that this system can be applied to more than two of voters by increasing correspondnumber of positions of the shaft of the sets of lugs. it may ed to two cla ses g such differ- "icliises that one class can vote for candidates that the other cannot, and a the li 162 are also made movaud adjusta 1e, just like the lugs 242, at be integral with the principle of operation in either construction. T o it the shaft 158 in either of these two positions from the out-side of the casing, I employ the following mechanism: The shaft 158 is capable of a slight havi able

shait loS,

. longitudinal movement in its bearings, the

gear wheels 156 and 159 on its ends being broad enough to keep in mesh with their cooperating gear wheels 154. and 160 respectively in either position, or they might be splined on the shaft so that they would turn with it, but it could be adjusted longitudinally without shifting them. It has on its upper end within the upper compartment a collar or disk 245, which in one position r0- tates in one end portion 24-6 of a groove formed in the top of a sliding block 247, while in the other position it rotates in the other end portion 2&8 of the groove, the two end portions being at different distances from the partition 31, and connected by the inclined portion 2 19 so that as the block 247 is shifted from the full line position of Fig. 1 to the dotted line position, and vice rersa, the groove acting on the disk 245 will carry it and the shaft 158 into one or the other position, as the case may be. The block 247 is connected to a bar 250 sliding in suitable ways, and passing out through an aperture in. the side 27 of the casing and provided with a handle 251 by which it can be manipulated. It is conveniently locked in either position of adjustment by a spring pressed plunger 252 mounted in suitable bearings inside of the casing and cooperating with one of the notches and 254 on the bar 2530, depending upon the position. A handle attached to the plunger and extending through a slotted opening in the casing serves to raise the plunger to release the bar to set it in either position. Of course it will be understood that the bar 250 is not accessible to the voter when he is in the booth, as the side 27 is expected to be on the outside of the booth. The position of the handle 251 will serve as an indicator to the by-standers as to the kind of a franchise given by the election ofiicials to the voter so as to prevent any collusion between the ofiicial and a limited franchise voter. Of course the full franchise voter is protected to some extent by reason of the election otficials being of different parties, but I preferably add an indicator operated by the bar 

